1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control system and control method for controlling an image processing apparatus such as a printer and a digital copier, by means of a terminal device such as a personal computer, a work station and a host computer, connected to the image processing apparatus through a network, and especially pertains to such a control system and a method wherein a data file including document file or image data in the form of electronic signal, is transferred to the image processing apparatus to make the image processing apparatus print the content of the data file, with functions of the image processing apparatus being specified.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, digital copiers are practically used which read out an original image by means of an image pick-up device such as a CCD, expose the surface of a photosensitive drum with laser beam bearing the read-out digital image data, develop with toner the latent image formed on the photosensitive drum, and transfer the developed image to a recording sheet. Such a digital copier has, in substance, combination of the functions of scanner and a printer, and may be interconnected, over a network, with a terminal device such as a personal computer, a work station, a host computer and the like, to be commonly used as a scanner or a printer in the network.
Such an image processing apparatus is provided with a printer driver software program (herein after referred to as a printer driver) which is adapted for various OS (Operating System) used by the terminal device. When the printer driver is installed in the memory of the terminal device, e.g. a hard disk drive of a personal computer, the image processing apparatus can be used as an output device in application software such as a word processor software and a spreadsheet software.
The conventional application software is provided with a one-click function for outputting, by a set, all the pages contained in a file data file which is currently being opened, when a printer icon is clicked. The software is also provided with a selection function with which the user pulls down a menu from a task bar and optionally selects, in accordance with predetermined process, pages and/or scope to be printed, a number of set of copies, size of copy sheet, an image processing apparatus to be used for the printing, and other optional functions of the apparatus, with the data of selected function being transferred to the image processing apparatus. It should be understood that document files and image data in electrical data to be controlled by the terminal device are generally referred to hereinafter as file data.
Meantime, if the file data controlled by the terminal device are outputted to a printer by the operation by means of a user-interface display screen of the terminal device, the copying operation will be efficient which, in conventional apparatus, are carried out by taking out an original from a file box and set it on a copier. To this end, as options for digital copier are provided an interface function for transmitting, to a terminal device, image data read by a scanner, and a data control software for controlling image data file on the terminal device.
As in the case of word processor software, a conventional image data control software is provided with one-click function with which, when an icon of a printer shown on a tool bar is clicked, all the pages included in the file image data file opened on the terminal device is printed by one set, by a printer which has been set on the terminal device, and a selection function wherein a user pulls down menus on the task bar and, in accordance with predetermined process, selects pages and region to be printed, a number of copies, size of printed sheet, a printer for executing the printing operation, optional functions of the printer.
However, the conventional software requires the user to operate pull down menus of multiple level hieralchy, navigating between different screens, when he/or she uses the software for the setting of optional functions of an image forming apparatus e.g. a digital copier, such as sorting function, duplex copying function, enlargement/reduction function, sheet designation (selection of size and/or quality of a sheet) function, staple function, punch function and the like. Thus, the conventional software has a problem of requiring troublesome operations.
In addition, when a single digital copier is connected in a network to be used as a printer, staple function is strongly required to positively use a staple function in order to make difference the user's copies from copies of image or document of other person. However, when the staple functions are selected with a conventional image data control soft, it is difficult to know where the staple will be put. Accordingly, the users have been reluctant in using the staple function.
According to a questionnaire survey made within the company of the applicant of the present patent application, only one set of copies are taken for 90% of document outputted to the printer, and more than one copies are printed so often. Accordingly, it is desirable that operation is as simple as possible when the user takes one set of copies.